Nikki Hesford appeared Dragon’s Den in 2011, with her fast fashion brand that made clothing and lingerie for bigger busted women. Nikki was born in October 1985 in Rochdale, the daughter of former rugby star Steve Hesford, who used to play for Warrington Wolves, and niece of former Blackpool goalie Iain Hesford. She left Rochdale and moved to Lancaster where she set up a lingerie and clothes business called Miss Fit UK.
She exited this business in 2015 and now runs The Small Business Academy, a support hub for the next generation of entrepreneurs to tap into trustworthy advice and resources. She also runs Hesford Media, a specialist agency for social media marketing, social media advertising, as well as website development, email and other areas of digital marketing. The website link below and this link will take you to a portal page giving you the choice of the two companies.
Nikki often gets asked what it was like to go on Dragons’ Den, despite it being several years since her appearance on the show. She said it was something people always brought up at business events and that she’d tell them it was an experience requiring nerves of steel. Back when the format included walking up the staircase, she said the first thing you’d notice was Peter’s socks, and then the dragons sitting there with completely unreadable expressions. She said she couldn’t tell what they were thinking about her when she was being grilled and how when she started speaking, it felt almost like it wasn’t her voice—like it was someone else talking for her. She said her mind was racing, thinking about how people watching at home would perceive her and admitted that self-doubt started creeping in. Cue cards or notes weren’t allowed in the den, so everything had to come from memory. Making sure not to forget key facts and figures was paramount.
She also pointed out that most people don’t realise how much stopping and starting there is. She said that on TV, it all looks so smooth, but in reality, there are many interruptions. Sometimes a dragon has to take a phone call or the crew needs to adjust the cameras and lighting. She said she was often stopped mid-sentence and then asked to pick up where she left off, which could be really disorienting. The whole process looks like it only takes five minutes on TV, but in reality it can take well over an hour.
Today Nikki leads the Blackpool Growth Business Academy, which is driven by Blackpool Council with funded support from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. The academy is where new and successful businesses find the specialist, personalised support that matches their ambitions, unlocks growth opportunities, and helps them take their next steps.
